The Mother of a Scandal
by KeepingUpDisappearances
Summary: When Valancy Stirling shocks the town of Deerword with increasingly scandalous behavior, Amelia becomes the subject of gossip. The town, looking for someone to blame for its most shameless citizen, deems that she failed as a mother. Follow what happens to Mrs. Frederick and the Stirling clan through the events of 'The Blue Castle'. [complete]
1. A Shocking Silver Wedding

Amelia Stirling gazed in surprised dismay as Valancy swept down the staircase. Her hair—what had she done with her hair? The pompadour was gone, her hair pulled back in a small knot. It didn't make Valancy bad-looking, but she had done it without her mother's permission; therefore, it had to be condemned.

At least, Amelia would have _liked_ to condemn it, but 'Doss' had been so… _off_ lately. Better to not say anything; who knew what sort of whim she might have next. With Herbert and Amelia's silver wedding looming in just half an hour, Amelia certainly _didn't_ want one of Valancy's 'freaks' to happen among all the relatives.

But behind her, Christine Stickles was saying, "That hairstyle is _unfit_ for Valancy. It simply exposes her plain face _too much._ The pompadour gave it _structure!_ "

"Hush!" Amelia hissed.

"Well, Mother," Valancy said as she strode forward. Her voice was casual—too casual, Amelia thought, for addressing one's mother. "Shall we be off?"

Amelia forced a smile. "Yes, of course, D—Valancy." Mrs. Frederick had not called her daughter 'Valancy' instead of 'Doss' out of kindness. She had to humor the girl, to keep her placated and acting as a proper Stirling should act.

Things went along very well for most of the journey. At least, by Amelia's and Christine's observations. If they'd seen Valancy wave gaily to 'Roaring' Abel, that cursing, sinful, completely un-Stirlingish drunkard, they would have thought right then and there that Valancy had 'gone dippy'—to borrow the expression that a rather indelicate Benjamin would use later.

But then they came to Herbert's house.

"A house like that is a blasphemy," Amelia and Christine heard Valancy saying.

Amelia's mouth opened—and then shut again. She longed to rebuke Valancy, but feared it would be fatal. She, Christine and the aforementioned rebel filed into Herbert's house, where they were ushered into the dining room by one of Herbert and Alberta's two maids. Amelia disapproved of maids—it lulled one into idleness—so she walked airily by.

Uncle Herbert entreated the newly arrived trio to sit together, much to Amelia's relief. It would be so much easier to keep an eye on Valancy if she was sitting right next to her. She looked away from her daughter and scanned all the relatives. Yes, everyone was here—including Olive. Oh, _why_ couldn't Valancy be like Olive! Olive knew what to say and when to say it. She knew how to 'look pretty'. She'd attracted men— _many_ men—and was marrying one of the 'Port Laurence Prices'!

"Bless this food to our use and consecrate our lives to Thy service," Uncle Herbert said glibly, breaking into Mrs. Frederick Stirling's thoughts. Mary Wellington kept her head down for several minutes longer; when Amelia saw the way Valancy was observing this, she winced.

Evidently this had bothered Mary, too. The look on her face was one of discomfort.

"What herb is most injurious to a young lady's beauty?" intoned Benjamin, and he beamed toward Valancy.

No response from Valancy, who was _supposed_ to say 'what?'

"Thyme," Benjamin said limply.

But the rest of the meal continued through its uneventful form in its early stages, and Amelia Stirlng relaxed a little. Herbert made his usual, far-tired joke to Mary Wellington—"Mary, will you have a little lamb?"—Jane whined of an aching tooth—and many of the others rehashed old anecdotes that had been told time and time again. Dull. But at least Valancy was being quiet and humble.

Then James asked everyone what 'the greatest happiness' was. Mrs. Frederick Stiring was the last to chime in, and 'stole the spotlight'.

"The greatest happiness is to spend your life in loving service for others," Amelia said. "We are all too prone to live in selfishness, worldliness and sin."

The older women looked defeated. Amelia was pleased.

And then Valancy spoke.

"The greatest happiness is to sneeze when you want to."

A flurry of worried looks and a few shocked frowns were exchanged among the gathering. Amelia sat as if frozen, but she did not rebuke Valancy. It might be dangerous. But Benjamin—Amelia wanted to throttle him—plunged forward and asked Doss another one of his stupid conundrums. Perhaps to bring Valancy down, but it had been careless of him.

Valancy gave the answer, to Benjamin's horror, but she did not stop speaking there.

"You have asked that riddle at least fifty times in my recollection, Uncle Ben. Why don't you hunt up some new riddles if riddle you _must?_ It is such a fatal mistake to try to be funny if you don't succeed."

The look of shock on 'Uncle Ben's' face was one of stunned and displeased amazement. No doubt this sinful defiance from the usually quiet, detached Doss was a travesty to him. And it ought to be. Oh, but _why_ was Benjamin now throwing _her_ an accusing look, Mrs. Frederick thought in horror. He couldn't blame _her_ for Valancy's 'freak'. Yet Amelia had a feeling that he did.

Valancy continued on with this saucy, dismissive attitude. Amelia let it go by in a blur until she heard her daughter—the daughter that _should_ have been a son, or at least pretty—respond to Isabel's comments about Valancy's weight. Isabel only wanted to know if the former was trying to 'fill out'—Valancy was _so_ thin. But Valancy only said:

"No, but I can tell you where you'll find a beauty parlour in Port Lawrence where they can reduce the number of your chins," Valancy said breezily, all at once.

"Valancy!" Amelia wailed, but Valancy paid no attention to her distraught mother.

The looks on the faces around the table made the agitated Mrs. Frederick want to leave. There was condemnation mixed with horror…yet if she left, there would be nobody to watch Valancy. Christine wouldn't take it up.

The worst seemed over, however; Valancy lapsed into a cheeky flippancy that, while unladylike, was not as rude as that comment about Isabel's chins. Yet the worst wasn't over. The talk eventually turned to the disreputable Barney Snaith, and when Uncle Wellington carelessly intimated that Snaith was the father of Cecily Gay's 'illegitimate' child, Valancy came completely away from all propriety and feminine tact.

""If you mean that Barney Snaith is the father of Cecily Gay's child," Valancy said shamelessly, "he _isn't._ It's a wicked lie."

There was silence, a palpable, horrified, scandalized silence, but no one was more humiliated than Amelia. Surely Valancy didn't know how…how children were…brought about. She wasn't _supposed_ to know that. She shouldn't even think it!

Valancy defended Barney Snaith and Cecily Gay for a few more moments, and then, inexplicably, excused herself. Amelia Stirling let her go. Now there was nobody to say such shocking things. The only thing left to fear now was the uproar from her clan.

"She's feverish!" Christine declared, while Benjamin intoned, "She's dippy! Clean dippy!"

Only timid little Georgiana defended Valancy.

"Don't condemn her too rashly," she soothed, and, hoping a dose of philosophy might help, added, "we _must_ remember what dear old Shakespeare says-that charity thinketh no evil."

"Charity! Poppy-cock!" snorted Uncle Benjamin. "I never heard a young woman talk such stuff in my life as she just did. Talking about things she ought to be ashamed to think of, much less mention!"

And he raged on for several more moments, making Amelia feel even weaker and paler than she already was. Everyone continued to chatter about Valancy's behavior, and she quickly gave up her pretense of bravery. She was crying.

"I must tell you," she sobbed, "that Valancy has been acting very strangely for over two weeks now. She hasn't been a bit like herself-Christine could tell you. I have hoped against hope that it was only one of her colds coming on. But it is-it must be something worse."

Amelia thought she was being quite clear that Valancy's horrifying new behavior was not the fault of Mrs. Amelia Frederick Stirling, but perhaps she'd made it worse; now Benjamin was hinting that this outrageous act came from Amelia's father's side of the family. That it was a Wansbarra trait.

Olive noticed Amelia's stressed expression and nervous mindset and set out to calm poor Aunt Amelia.

"Never mind, Aunt Amelia," she said sweetly. "Valancy isn't quite herself, but I'm sure she didn't mean it maliciously. Perhaps she's unhappy about something. We'll get Dr. Stalling over to talk to her."

Olive's words didn't seem to reach Amelia. Nor did they. As Olive spoke, her brown eyes soft below her glossy hair, her voice so sweet and modulated, Amelia wondered all the more why Valancy couldn't be at least a little more like Olive!

"It is part of my soul-suffering as a mother in the doomed human race," Amelia managed to philosophize.

* * *

A fic with this premise was originally titled 'My Daughter is an Old Maid' and written 'by' Amelia in first person, but it didn't work out-I'm bad at writing first person.


	2. So Much for Appearances

Valancy appeared unrepentant the next morning when she came down for breakfast. Mrs. Frederick wasn't sure whether or not to scold her daughter or ignore her; after some thought, she tried to talk to Valancy sweetly and kindly, 'like a concerned, loving mother'. Unfortunately (for Amelia) Valancy did not buy this act. All of the latter's life, her mother had shown her disappointment in Valancy. Amelia always had been disappointed that she'd hadn't gotten a son, or at least a pretty girl.

"Valancy," Amelia said, with an unconvincingly empathetic gaze, "I was sorely shocked by your behavior last night. I did some thinking, however, and I wanted to know if there's something you'd like to talk to me about. Perhaps you are feeling lonely, being unmarried at twenty-nine—poor dear—and don't know how to 'deal' with that?"

A grin spread on Valancy's face as she looked up from the toast she'd been buttering quite lavishly.

"No, Mother," she said politely, but with a gleam of humor in her eyes. "I've gotten used to it. After all, I'm known as the Deerwood old maid now. At least I'm known for _something_. It is dull to go through life without being known for anything."

"Then your behavior was purposeful," Mrs. Frederick said, frowning. She ignored Valancy's calm acceptance of her unmarried state.

"Oh, yes," Valancy said carelessly. "Being honest is so freeing. After all, nobody's shied away from putting it in my face that no man's wanted me. Why not continue the family habit?"

Amelia was about to attempt a reply when there was a heavy knock on the door.

"That'll be Roaring Abel," she said stiffly.

"You asked him to come _here?_ " Valancy said innocently.

Amelia looked narrowly at her daughter, but turned wordlessly to open the door to Deerword's most disreputable sinner. It was Cousin Stickles who spoke to Valancy.

"Roaring Abel is only _here_ because the back porch needs fixing. _Simply_ a matter of _business_. _We_ Stirlings do not _associate_ ourselves with him on a social level."

By this time, Amelia had turned coolly away from Roaring Abel, with the door shut firmly behind her. It would never do to appear as if she was _friendly_ with the sinner. What would the neighbors think?

"I hope you aren't paying him too much," Christine said, as she and Amelia, with Valancy following serenely behind, trooped into the dining room for dinner.

"I wouldn't," Amelia said icily. "Do you think I _would_ , Christine?"

"I should hope not. It'll all go down in a whiskey bottle, anyway. But you've gotten more and more excited to get that porch fixed."

"I saw Mrs. Slocumb looking quite disapprovingly at it. She's head of the Ladies' Aid, and I don't wish to think badly of my housekeeping, now that I'm one of her most trusted members."

Valancy suddenly laughed from across the table. Amelia and Christine's heads snapped up and they stared at Valancy, who seemed hugely amused by something, twirling her fork mindlessly in her dish of mashed turnips.

"Valancy, what _do_ you mean by laughing so rudely at your eld—" Christine began, but Amelia hissed at her to be silent. She must not give Valancy an opening to say more shocking things.

When supper was finished and dishes were washed, the two older women headed to the dining room, which was the warmest room and a haven from the unusually chilly June day, but hurried out again when they realized that Valancy had just _gone outside_ to talk to that blaspheming Abel Gay.

"Valancy, won't you come in from the cold?" Amelia asked in her most diplomatic voice. Valancy only shrugged her shoulders and smiled serenely. Her mother instantly knew that neither force nor persuasion would get Valancy back inside. She gave up on this at once, suddenly imagining the tale Abel could spread if Valancy 'made a scene'.

This had a most unfortunate result. Half an hour after Mr. Gay left, Amelia left the kitchen to see if Valancy was still 'catching her death of cold' on the back porch. For days afterward, Amelia told herself that she'd rather Valancy come down with a cold than head off for what she was about to do…

"Valancy, why do you have your satchel…and why are you wearing your serge suit…and why…"

"I am going to work for Roaring Abel and nurse Cissy," Valancy said calmly. "He'll pay me thirty dollars a month."

Amelia thought for one irreligious second that there was no point in serving God after all.

"But…but…Valancy…you'll be keeping company with that bad Cissy Gay…"

Valancy's face hardened. "Whatever Cissy's been or done, she's a human being. _I'm_ not ashamed for her. But that aside, I'm going. I already promised Mr. Gay."

Valancy was entirely too glib. "Do you have _no_ regard for _appearances_? What the neighbors will think? What this _whole town_ might think when this _gets out?_ "

Valancy smiled, a smile that her mother thought was mocking and defiant. In reality, 'the Deerwood old maid' was smiling at her outraged italics.

"I've been keeping up appearances all my life," Valancy said passionately. "Now I'm going in for realities. Appearances can go hang!"

And with that, she was out into the glowing, frosty twilight, leaving Mrs. Frederick in a state of shock.


	3. A Turn for the Worst

Then and ever afterward, Mrs. Frederick wondered how she'd managed to live through the scandal—no, scandal _s_ —that swept through Deerwood. Everyone who met her either looked at her in pity ("As if they know Valancy is dead to me," she intoned) or gave her judging looks, as if the scandal affected _them_. Mrs. Frederick stopped going to church altogether, and when James and even Dr. Stalling could not convince the prodigal to return home, she could only find comfort by saying that this was "a trial that will help me to an eternal reward."

But little prepared the entire clan for the shock that was Valancy riding in Barney Snaith's decrepit car—with the scoundrel himself. Amelia and Christine saw it and wanted to faint. The two reprobates, however, went zooming off as if they were a married couple out for a proper Sunday drive.

"I'm sorry, Amelia, I've found someone else to host the Mission Society's tea this week."

Amelia blinked back at Mrs. Rachel Merriweather. Distinguished, wealthy, and high in social circles, this was the woman Amelia was always desperate to impress. Amelia was ashamed of her near-poverty, but if she went well in social circles, she might rise above that. Thus, Amelia was always looking for the community figurehead's approval.

"Oh," Amelia said, and then went on in an ingratiating tone, "Do you mind if I ask why, Mrs. Merriweather?"

"Well—er—it's just that the Missionary Society prefers to host its social events among more—orthodox people," Mrs. Merriweather said straightly, a slightly impatient twist to her lips.

"Oh," Amelia repeated. "I—see."

She fumbled a goodbye to the woman she worked so hard to flatter and closed the door in her face.

"What is it, Amelia?" Christine asked as the former stumbled into the kitchen to remove the meticulously arranged tea set, leaving the eatables.

"What's the use of pretending Valancy is of the dead?" Amelia asked unashamedly. "That was Mrs. Merriweather. She won't have the Society tea here. She might as well have said, 'Mrs. Stirling, the Society wants to stay away from your disreputable household.'!"

"Cecily Gay can't live much longer," was Christine's dark comfort. "When Valancy returns, we will curb her. We won't allow Snaith near the house!"

Despite staying in the house as much as possible, more scandals reached Amelia's ears. Once, when going out to water her prize hydrangeas, she overheard gossipy Mrs. Barnes next door saying to a friend from the Port:

"Really? They were at the moving picture together? _And_ the Chinese restaurant? Well! I thought Valancy Stirling couldn't get more improper! To be alone with a man so much, let alone a man like Barney Snaith!"

Amelia managed to slip into the house unnoticed. What _was_ Providence punishing for, she thought bitterly.

To say that the clan _wanted_ Cecily Gay to die would be uncharitable, but they were nonetheless relieved when the news came. In a feat of solidarity, they all came to the funeral. Surely seeing her loving family support her would induce Valancy to beg their forgiveness.

The gossip had also died down. The sharp-tongued, judgmental people of Deerwood had suddenly 'forgiven' Cecily's 'shameful deeds' when the Great Seal of death had been laid on her brow. As for Valancy—

"She is rather improper," Mrs. Barnes declared bluntly, "but she _was_ doing _such_ a kindness to poor Cecily Gay."

Never mind that Mrs. Barnes had been one of the first to tear Cecily down when the 'shameful story' had leaked out!

So, Valancy was being given a chance at redemption! Amelia and the rest had never been so at ease since Valancy had left for the Gay household.

"My child," Amelia said sweetly as Valancy was preparing a supper for the funeral guests, "you'll come home _now?_ "

"Oh, no, I'm not going to stay _here_ ," Valancy returned earnestly. "Of course, I'll have to stay for a day or two, to put the house in order generally. But that will be all. Excuse me, Mother, won't you? I've a frightful lot to do-all those "up back" people will be here to supper."

Mrs. Frederick returned to her belief in a charitable Providence and went home with decidedly higher spirits.


	4. Indecency and Drama

The last day of June was suddenly sultry and close. Mrs. Frederick spent all day darning and dusting, minus a few minutes spent reading _The Woman's Walk to God_. But she'd given that up in disgust at the section aimed toward mothers. _Always recognize your children,_ it read, _no matter how far they stray, and you'll reflect God's love_.

Amelia had irreverently thought that God hadn't counted on girls who said shocking things at family gatherings, consorted with 'bad girls', or was overly familiar with men of whom town society disapproved. Thus, the book had been slammed shut, and she'd returned to house work.

Some of the clan stopped to visit—though each independently—and so became the audience for the worst scandal of all. Of course it would have happened that way, Amelia thought bitterly afterwards. None of Valancy's queer anomalies would happen privately.

"What's the difference between a bee and a donkey?" Benjamin had come to ask.

"One gets all the honey, the other all the whacks," Christine dared to answer. Benjamin frowned.

"What's the difference between—," he attempted again, but just then Valancy stepped into the room.

Valancy! But how changed! A dress that didn't go near her ankles, that left her arms bare, and a hairstyle that make her face look bolder—not repentant or demure as she ought to have been. She didn't look in the least sorry.

"So you've come home at last," Amelia managed to say.

Valancy smiled broadly, and Mrs. Frederick felt irked. How _dare_ Valancy seem so radiant and flippant after all the grief she had caused her family! After the talk she'd made around town!

"Not exactly," Valance said coolly. "I thought I'd drop in and tell you I was married last Tuesday night, to Barney Snaith."

The room went dead silent as Valancy flashed her ring at the dumbfounded gathering.

"Bless my soul," panted Uncle Benjamin.

Gladys turned faint and was hurried out of the room.

Valancy and James got into a bit of a row over Barney's 'real' character and the appropriateness of Valancy's behavior—knowing _she'd_ asked _him_ to marry was another shock—and Amelia wished she had Gladys's knack of turning faint. Speaking that way to James, one of the great clan patriarchs!

Benjamin, who'd been listening idly by, was saying, "Edward Beck is worth twenty-thousand dollars and has the finest house between here and Port Lawrence."

"That sounds very fine, but it can't be compared to feeling Barney's arms around me and his cheek against mine."

Everyone looked shocked at this bold manner of speaking. How _indecent_! Yet Valancy didn't look perturbed at all. Instead, she merely asked for the cushions she'd worked the winter before, when the clan had thought her last hope of getting married had flown away for the constraints of time.

"Take them—take everything!" Amelia wept.

Valancy smiled gratefully and nodded. She didn't want 'everything', just the cushions. She'd motor in for them later—and no doubt make talk every time she came and went.

 _"There's Valancy Stirling again. Or, should I say, Valancy Snaith!"_ Amelia could hear her neighbors saying in her imagination, which was saying much, as she didn't approve of imagination. _Why does the family recognize her? If I was Amelia, I'd tell her to not even come to town!_

Uncle James said as much. "You shouldn't even recognize her," he said after Valancy had left.

Amelia sniffled. "I can't forget that I'm a mother!"

It got easier and easier to forget about Valancy, however. For sure, she had a habit of appearing in town from time to time, and Cousin Georgiana often spoke of her or even brought her little gifts—dandelion wine and a candlewick spread among other things—but overall, Valancy _was_ as of the dead.

Until one bizarre spring day, that was. And it all began with a sudden appearance and the words:

"I'm not going to die."


	5. An Overruling Providence

It had been another monotonous day in the square brick box on Elm Street. Breakfast, dusting, sweeping, lunch, darning, mending—just all the same. The only way one could have told it was a Tuesday was because of the mending. Always mend on Tuesday. There was no particular reason; it was just a habit.

Mrs. Frederick was in the middle of mending a twice-turned gown. Christine was trying to salvage an old glove. And into this most common of scenes walked a dull-faced, dark-eyed, flat-voiced apparition.

"Hello, Mother," a voice intoned.

Valancy was standing in the doorway, and she shuffled into the sitting room, barely noticing Uncle Ben, who was about to ask one of his conundrums. "I've come home."

"So I see. Why?" Mrs. Frederick asked, the old resentment toward Valancy flaring up. And how awful she looked! Had Valancy walked through town looking like _that?_ Had life with the Snaith scoundrel completely wiped any sense of pride out of her?

Amelia only noticed the dull, sallow look on her daughter's face. She didn't see the hollow eyes or the miserable expression. She had no idea at all that her daughter was suffering. Amelia thought only of herself and appearances. And what _was_ Valancy saying?"

"—not going to die."

"Why?" Benjamin demanded, and Valancy managed to put out an adequate but disjointed explanation. How she didn't want anyone to fuss over the heart condition she'd been told she had. How she'd married Barney to just 'live' before dying, whatever that meant. That she'd had some fright yet didn't die, and Dr. Trent said he'd make a mistake.

Amelia was so outraged over Valancy's lack of confidence in _her_ that she didn't notice, or perhaps did notice but ignored, the abject pain in her daughter's voice.

"And he's really Bernard Redfern—Dr. Redfern's son. He's also John Foster."

Valancy herself didn't know why she'd told that to the assemblage. Those things certainly didn't matter anymore. Perhaps talking was a way to push back the pain until her family would let her be alone—just alone!

Mrs. Frederick's eyes suddenly gleamed, and Christine's mouth dropped open. Benjamin stared as if fixated. Valancy was married to a millionaire, ten times over and counting.

Amelia Stirling was incredulous with visions of being able to tell her neighbors that Valancy _wasn't_ married to a ne'er-do-well, that Barney Snaith _wasn't_ a thief or a fraud or a murderer or whatever else Deerwood and Port Lawrence had called him. No indeed, Valancy was married to a multi-millionaire's son and one of the biggest names in all of Canada!

"—can't hold him to a bond he was tricked into."

Valancy's words had suddenly broken into Mrs. Frederick's happy reverie. What was Valancy saying?

"Does he _want_ to be rid of you?" Benjamin asked Valancy. Mrs. Frederick turned white. So that was what Valancy was saying.

At the end of it all, Benjamin said genially, "Let me handle this, Valancy."

"You think Barney can get a divorce?" Valancy said with dark eagerness. Amelia tried to speak, but Benjamin shook his head subtly. He didn't argue the point or push Valancy to go back to Bar—Mr. Redfern. He let her alone.

When the door to Valancy's room snapped shut, Amelia and Christine suddenly 'thawed' and began to talk. Benjamin was quite complimentary of Barney Snaith-a.k.a.-Bernard Redfern. A stranger might have thought Benjamin had always been his greatest defender. An insider could have said differently. But this new revelation had washed Barney Snaith of all notoriety.

It wasn't until the next afternoon that an unshaved Bernard Redfern came racing up to the house, Benjamin opening the door exuberantly. It was a hard half hour for Amelia. Mr. Redfern, demanding entrance. Valancy refusing to see him, despite Amelia's most tender pleas. Benjamin, tricking Valancy into seeing her husband. Valancy almost— _almost_ turning him away for good. Finally, Benjamin sailing into the sitting room with an exuberant smile.

"Everything's all right now!" he said gleefully.

Amelia strode to the family Bible right away and made an entry under 'Marriages'. There was a Providence after all. And she went back to church and society with a vengeance, 'letting it slip' that Valancy was actually the wife of the son of Canada's most successful entrepreneur. Valancy and Barney even went to teas and socials from time to time. Amelia supposed they went to restore appearances to the family name. Little did she think that the still shameless pair did so because they enjoyed observing Amelia's affected, ridiculous 'name-drops'.

"I don't think you've met my new son-in-law, Bernard _Redfern_ , Mrs. Merriweather." "How delightful to meet you. I'm Amelia Stirling, and this is my daughter, Mrs. Valancy _Redfern_."

It could even be said that Mrs. Frederick had her own Blue Castle—of sorts—now.

~FIN~


End file.
